Bruce Coulter: Standing down to stand up

In 2005, Veterans Inc. in Worcester, welcomed Bay State veterans to its first Stand Down, then a one-day event providing services to homeless veterans or veterans in need and their dependents.

Bruce Coulter

In 2005, Veterans Inc. in Worcester, welcomed Bay State veterans to its first Stand Down, then a one-day event providing services to homeless veterans or veterans in need and their dependents.

Seven years later, said Amanda Riik, Stand Down has expanded in size and scope, encompassing two days on a 22-acre parcel in Shrewsbury, home of Veterans Inc.’s Independence Hall, which houses 32 male veterans and is one of six available to homeless veterans in central Massachusetts. A seventh shelter, providing transitional assistance to men, is located in Bradford, Vt.

“Today’s Stand Down is all about trying to get all the services that are needed to the veteran and making sure they know what services are out there that they can receive,” said Riik, who serves as Veterans Inc.’s public relations manager.

She couldn’t have said it any better: Making sure veterans know what services are available to them. Despite the significant outreach offered by veteran service offices in each of Massachusetts 351 communities and the Massachusetts Dept. of Veterans Services, all too many veterans are not entirely aware of the benefits they have earned by virtue of their military service.

On June 15 and June 16, more than 300 veterans attended the event, seeking information on health, education and employment. Thanks to the generosity of numerous sponsors, veterans also learned of housing resources, legal counseling services, and received food and clothing.

Additionally, employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs Springfield office were on hand to register veterans with the VA to make sure they get the benefits they are entitled to.

“You can’t get those benefits if you’re not registered,” said Riik.

Homeless veterans

Riik said homelessness is a growing problem for veterans in Massachusetts, but there is help available.

“Since we’re on site and able to house anyone that’s homeless, we’re able to put them in one of our programs. That’s one of our main focal points. We do have people that come here and have nowhere to go,” she said.

In Massachusetts, Veterans Inc. can house up to 183 men in its six shelters. The organization’s Vermont shelter can house up to 10 homeless veterans. In Worcester, Veterans Inc. also provides housing for 10 women veterans and their children.

Female veterans are a growing population across the country. Riik said in Massachusetts, there are approximately 24,000 female veterans.

“That number just keeps growing. The need we’re seeing is women and children. We’re trying to create more rooms to accommodate the female and child on site. That’s what we’re getting more phone calls about,” said Riik.

Oftentimes, she said, women don’t realize they’re veterans, even of they’ve served in the military.

“When you say that word, ‘veteran,’ they assume they may not be in that category,” Riik said.

To avoid confusion, women are now asked if they served in the military.

“If they say yes, then we start the conversation,” said Riik.

It’s no small thing to offer veterans a hand up while they stand down. In many cases, veterans need only to be pointed in the right direction to pull themselves up.

For more information, visit mass.gov/veterans.

Bruce Coulter is editor of the Beacon-Villager and a retired, disabled veteran. He may be reached at 978-371-5775 or bcoulter@wickedlocal.com